Petunia plant named ‘Sunsurfsirou’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Petunia  plant named ‘Sunsurfsirou’, characterized by its mounding and trailing plant habit; vigorous growth habit; early flowering habit; long flowering period; large white-colored flowers with light yellow green-colored venation; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Petunia×hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘SUNSURFSIROU’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Petunia plant, botanically known as Petunia×hybrida and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Sunsurfsirou’.

The new Petunia plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventors in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan. The objective of the breeding program is to create new Petunia plants with trailing habit and attractive flower coloration.

The new Petunia plant is a naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of a proprietary selection of Petunia×hybrida identified as code name SB-W, not patented. The new Petunia plant was discovered and selected by the Inventors as a single flowering plant from within a population of plants of the mutation parent selection in a controlled environment in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan in October, 2006.

Asexual reproduction of the new Petunia plant by terminal cuttings in a controlled environment in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan since October, 2006 has shown that the unique features of this new Petunia plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Petunia have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions and cultural conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Sunsurfsirou’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Sunsurfsirou’ as a new and distinct Petunia plant:

-   -   1. Mounding and trailing plant habit.     -   2. Vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Early flowering habit.     -   4. Long flowering period.     -   5. Large white-colored flowers with light yellow green-colored         venation.     -   6. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Petunia can be compared to plants of the mutation parent selection. Plants of the new Petunia differ primarily from plants of the mutation parent selection in flower color as plants of the mutation parent selection have white-colored flowers with dull red purple-colored venation. In addition, plants of the new Petunia are more compact than plants of the mutation parent selection.

Plants of the new Petunia can also be compared to plants of the Petunia ‘Sunsurfhowa’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan, plants of the new Petunia and ‘Sunsurfhowa’ differed primarily in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Petunia were broader and had longer         internodes than plants of ‘Sunsurfhowa’.     -   2. Leaf margins of plants of the new Petunia were more undulate         than leaf margins of plants of ‘Sunsurfhowa’.     -   3. Plants of the new Petunia and ‘Sunsurfhowa’ differed in         flower throat color as plants of ‘Sunsurfhowa’ had pale yellow         green-colored flower throats with yellow green-colored venation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Petunia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Petunia plant.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Sunsurfsirou’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Sunsurfsirou’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the summer in 15-cm containers in an outdoor nursery in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan and under cultural practices typical of commercial Petunia production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 23° C. and night temperatures averaged 13° C. Plants were four months old when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Petunia×hybrida ‘Sunsurfsirou’. -   Parentage: Naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of a proprietary     selection of Petunia×hybrida identified as code name SB-W, not     patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By terminal cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots.—About one week at temperatures of             15° C. to 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About three weeks at             temperatures of 15° C. to 20° C.         -   Root description.—Fibrous; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Mounding and trailing plant habit;             moderately branching habit with numerous lateral branches             developing per plant; pinching enhances lateral branch             development; vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 13.3 cm.         -   Plant diameter.—About 71.3 cm. -   Lateral branch description:     -   -   Length.—About 52.3 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 3 mm.         -   Internode length.—About 4.6 cm.         -   Strength.—Strong, flexible.         -   Aspect.—Upright to decumbent.         -   Texture.—Pubescent.         -   Color.—Close to 143B. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple.         -   Length.—About 5.2 cm.         -   Width.—About 3 cm.         -   Shape.—Elliptic.         -   Apex.—Obtuse.         -   Base.—Attenuate.         -   Margin.—Entire, undulate.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate; reticulate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 143A.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 143B. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 138A; venation,             close to 143B. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close             to 143C; venation, close to 143C.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 9.1 mm. Diameter: About 1.8 mm.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper             and lower surfaces: Close to 144A. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement and habit.—Single salverform flowers             arising from upper leaf axils; moderately freely flowering             habit with usually about 17 flowers developing per plant;             flowers face upright to outwardly.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Natural flowering season.—Early flowering habit, plants of             the new Petunia initiate and develop flowers about three to             four weeks after planting; long flowering period; flowering             commences naturally during the spring and plants flower             continuously throughout the summer until late autumn in             Japan.         -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about seven to ten             days on the plant; flowers not persistent.         -   Flower diameter.—About 6 cm.         -   Flower length (depth).—About 5.4 cm.         -   Throat diameter.—About 1.4 cm.         -   Tube diameter, base.—About 3.7 mm.         -   Tube length.—About 2.9 cm.         -   Flower buds.—Shape: Cylindrical. Length: About 4.3 cm.             Diameter: About 1.3 cm. Color: Close to 145C; venation,             close to 145A.         -   Corolla.—Arrangement: Five petals fused at the base and             opening into a flared trumpet. Petal length from throat:             About 2.1 cm. Petal width: About 2.8 cm. Petal shape:             Spatulate. Petal apex: Mucronate. Petal margin: Entire, week             to moderate undulation. Petal texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Throat texture: Smooth,             glabrous. Tube texture: Pubescent. Color: Petal, when             opening, upper and lower surfaces: Close to NN155C. Petal,             fully opened, upper surface: Close to NN155C; venation,             close to 150C. Petal, fully opened, lower surface: Close to             NN155C; venation, close to 145B. Throat: Close to NN155C;             venation, close to 199B. Tube: Close to NN155C; venation,             close to 145B.         -   Calyx.—Arrangement: One star-shaped calyx tube with five             sepals fused at the base per flower. Sepal length: About             2.1 cm. Sepal width: About 7.2 mm. Sepal shape: Narrowly             elliptic. Sepal apex: Obtuse. Sepal margin: Entire,             undulate. Sepal texture, upper and lower surfaces:             Pubescent. Color: Developing sepals, upper surface: Close to             138A. Developing sepals, lower surface: Close to 138B. Fully             developed sepals, upper surface: Close to 138A.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 2.9 cm. Diameter: About 1.4 mm.             Strength: Strong. Texture: Pubescent. Color: Close to 144B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Five.             Stamen length: About 1.4 cm to 1.9 cm. Anther shape:             Ellipsoidal. Anther size: About 1.8 mm by 2.5 mm. Anther             color: Close to 157A. Pollen amount: Abundant. Pollen color:             Close to 158B. Pistils: Quantity per flower: One. Pistil             length: About 1.9 cm. Style color: Close to 142C. Stigma             shape: Transversely ellipsoidal. Stigma color: Close to             141C; mid-section, close to 141B. Ovary color: Close to             145A. Seeds and fruits: Seed and fruit development have not             been observed on plants of the new Petunia. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Petunia have been observed to     have good garden performance and to tolerate rain, wind and     temperatures ranging from about 5° C. to about 35° C. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: Plants of the new Petunia have not been     observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Petunia     plants. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Petunia plant named ‘Sunsurfsirou’ as illustrated and described. 